Means for providing brakes to railway-vehicles.



No. 695,274. Patented Mar. ll, I902.

J. BOWMAN. MEANS FOR PROVIDING BRAKES T0 RAILWAY VEHICLES.

(Application filed Feb. 7, 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-$hee11 l.

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J. BOWMAN.

'MEANS FOR PROVIDING BRAKES T0 RAILWAY VEHICLES.

(Application filed Feb. 7, 190m 3 Shaets Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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No. 695,274. Patented Mar. II, I902.

J. BOWMAN.

MEANS FOR PROVIDING BRAKES TU RAILWAY VEHICLES. I

I (Application filed Feb. 7, 1901. (No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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JONATHAN BOIVMAN, OF PETERSBURG, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA.

MEANS FOR PROVIDING BRAKESQIIO RAILWAY=VEHICLES.

SI-ECIFICA'IION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 695,274, dated March 11, 1902. Application filed February '7, 1901. Serial No. @6368. (No model.)

To to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN BOWMAN, fireman, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Bismark street, Petersburg, in the State of South Australia, Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Providing Brakes to Railway-Vehicles to be Aotuated Either Independently or Simultaneously and Automatic in Certain Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is devised to provide a simple and inexpensive arrangement for the combination of independent brakes with a continuous and simultaneous action in railway-trains, and so that in event of accidental division of the train the brakes are automatically applied.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I will describe the same, reference being had to the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of the underframe of a railway truck or vehicle with my invention applied thereto. Figs. 2 and 3 are side and end elevations, respectively, of the above. Fig. 4C is a longitudinal section on line a b of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of portion of the brake-lever catch and release. Fig. 6 shows a brake-operating drum attached to the under side of the tender of alocomotive. Fig. 7 shows a brake-operating drum fitted within a brake-van.

In the different figures, 1 represents the underframe-work of a railway truck or vehicle.

2 is the draft-rod, which passes centrally throughout the length of the truck or vehicle and is supported in the framework by suitable cross-pieces. Boiling-springs 3 are provided encircling the draft-rod 2, while the length of the draft-rod 2 may be regulated by operating-nuts 4, contained within a bridle 5, connecting its two ends. For the purpose of securing resistance for the bnffing-springs 3 bridge-pieces 6 are f urnished,throu gh which the rod 2 can slide freely, said bridge-pieces being supported upon longitudinal rods 7,

' provided with pin 8, against which they bear.

All the above parts are mounted and operate in the usual manner.

Two downwardly-projecting lugs 9 are rigidly secured upon the draft-rod 2, one near each end of the truck, from the lower extremity of each of which a chain 10 passes to the opposite ends of a lever 11, projecting from the shaft 12. The brake-shaft 12- is supported in the well-known manner and is connected to and operates the shoes through the customary connections. The hand-lever 13 is attached to the shaft12 as usual and moves in a guideway 14:, its movements therein being controlled as will be hereinafter described.

The train-chain 20,which extends longitudinally beneath the truck or vehicle, is supported in pulley-blocks 21, depending from the rods '7, and also passes through a block attached to the end of a lever 22. The continuous chain 20 is preferably constructed to uncouple at each and every link, so that at the ends of the vehicles the several parts of the chain may be connected up of a suitable length to form a continuous chain extending throughout the whole length of the train, en-

gaging the lever 22 of each vehicle. This connecting train-chain 20 is attached at one end to a winding-drum 30, hereinafter described, its other end being made fast to a hook 25 upon the vehicle farthest from the drum. The lever 22 is hinged to a projection 011 the back of the guideway 14 and passes through a guideway 26. A curved pin 23 projects fromthe under side of the lever 22 and passes through a hole in the spring-catch 24:, whose shoulder projects through the back of the guideway 14. The normal position of the spring-catch 24: is shown in full lines in Fig. 5 and tends to maintain the brake-lever 13 in its upper position, when the brakes will be out of contact with the wheels, as they are shown in the drawings.

In order that the independentbrakes may be operated by hand from the side of the train opposite to that on which the brakelever 13 is placed, I provide a lever 27, pivoted to a bracket 28, projecting downward from the framework of the vehicle. This lever 27 engages the end of the lever 22 by means of a shoe 29 at its inner end, so that when the handle of the lever 27 is depressed the lever 22 is operated to apply the brakes.

The chain 20 is tightened by rotating a drum 30, to which its end is made fast, mounted eitheron the engine, the engine-tender, or in the brake-van. Referring to Fig. 6, the

drum 30 is attached to the engine-tendcr,boing secured in position by the provision of suitable brackets depending from the under side of the tender-body. The shaft 31, which carries the drum 30, is provided with a bevel cogwheel 32, gearing with a bevel cog-wheel 33, secured upon the lower end of a rotatable brakeshaft 34, which is carried and supported in a suitable standard and bottom bracket. It will be seen that by rotating the brake-shaft 34 the tension upon the chain 20 throughout the train may be varied. Referring to Fig. 7, Where the drum 30 is shown mounted in a brake-van, as either end of the van may be connected to the rest of the train two chains 20 and 20 are provided. The drum 30 is supported in two brackets 35, bolted to the wall of the van, and is rotated by means of handles 36. As shown, the chain 20 is the one connected with every vehicle in the train, and its end link is attached to a hook 34 projecting from the surface of the drum 30. The chain 20 is shown attached to a hook 37, provided on the wall of the van; but when the other end of the van is next the train the chain 20 will engage the hook 34 on the drum 30, while the end of chain 20 will be attached to a hook 37. By rotating the drum 30 by means of the handles 36 the chain 20 is tightened throughout the whole train.

The method of operation of my invention is as follows: When a train to which my invention is applied is stationary, the brakes being down, and it is desired to move the train, it will not be necessary to go from truck .to truck and lift the brakes of each truck separately, but the engine will be operated to put tension upon the draft-rod 2 of each truck or vehicle, when through the lugs 9 and chain 10 the lever 11 will be operated and through it the brake-shaft 12, thus lifting the shoes from the wheels. The brake-lever 13 is thus caused to rise in the guideway 14., pushing back the spring-catch 24 and taking up the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5. The spring-catch 24, after the brake-lever 13 has passed it, assumes its normal position and prevents the brake-lever falling to again apply the brakes. When it is desired to stop the train or to hold it back as it descends a hill, the tension upon the draft-rod 2 will be released by reason of the discontinuation of the pull of the engine, and the chain 20, ex-

- tending throughout the train, being tightened by winding on the drum 30, causes in each vehicle the outer end of the lever 22 to rise to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5. This through the curved pin 23 draws the spring-catch 24: from under the brake-lever 13, thereby permitting it to descend and apply the brake-shoes to the wheels. Thus the brakes are applied throughout the whole train by the one operation of tightening the chain 20. As soon as the engine again asserts its pulling act-ion all the brakes will be released from the wheels automatically through the several connections herein described. Should the train at any time be accidentally divided,

the tension caused upon the chain 20 before it severed would apply the brakes to the wheels throughout the whole train.

It will noticed that there is nothing to prevent the application of the brakes by hand in the usual manner if such should be desired, and, further, by means of the hand-lever 27 the brakes may be applied by hand from the opposite side of I the vehicle to that on which the brake-lever is situated.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is-- 1. The combination of a brake lever; a catch to support the brake-lever; and a releasing-lever to withdraw the catch and release the brake-lever.

2. In a brake mechanism for Vehicles, the combination of a brake-shaft, mounted to rock; a brake-lever rigidly connected with the brake-shaft; means for supporting the brake-lever when in the inoperative position and a draft device serving to release the brakelever and permit it to assume a position to apply the brake.

3. In a brake mechanism for vehicles, the combination with a train-chain, of a brakelever, and means for supporting the brakelever when in the inoperative position and for releasing the brake-lever when the trainchain is pulled.

4. A brake mechanism for vehicles, comprising draft-rod; brake-applying devices including a brake-shaft; brakes operated by the brake-shaft; 'a connection between the draft rod and the brake-shaft, serving the purpose of rocking the said brake-shaft to retract the brakes when the draft-rod is pulled; and a train-chain independent of the draft-rod and serving to release the several brake-applyin g devices.

5. In a brake mechanism for vehicles, the combination of a draft-rod; brakes operated by the brake-shaft; a connection between the draft-rod and the brake-shaft, serving the purpose of rocking the said brake-shaft to retract the brakes when the draft-rod is pulled; a train-chain fastened to the body of the vehicle; anda brake-lever secured to the brakeshaft and arranged to apply the brakes when the train-chain is pulled.

6. A brake mechanism for vehicles, comprising a draft-rod a train-chain fastened to the body of the vehicle; a lever raised by the chain when the latter is pulled; aspring-catch operated in one direction by the lever and in the other direction by the train-chain; and a brake-lever supported, when in an upper position, by the spring-catch.

7. A brake mechanism for vehicles, comprising a draft-rod; lugs on the draft-rod; a

l I l nating adjacent to the opposite side of the car, and intermediate devices whereby the releasing-lever Will release the brake-1ever.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in the presence of two witnesses, this 14th day of December, 1900.

JONATHAN BOVMAN.

Witnesses:

THOMAS POWELL, ROSA BLANCHE POWELL. 

